The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1887-09-24
SAVANNAH GA SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER "a. 1887.

one camp it was so terrible that twenty
men died in twenty-four hours During
the stormy weather matters were worse
water sometimes foot deep in the tents;
the trenches turned into dykes, aud the
men obliged to wade in them twelve
hours at time without warm or water
proof clothing-and dying by hundreds
without help or care, save from their
comrades in misery; the sick tended by
the sick; the dying by the dying. Dur
ing one fearful winter, with snow three
feet thick, many were frozen IN their
tents; and, out of forty-fve thousand,
more than eighteen thousand were re-
ported in the hospitals-more of the sick
than the wounded.
The English nation was aroused at this
state of things. Money was ready, but
money was not everything. The secrc-
tary of war knew that woman's hand
vand woman's brain was needed at the
Crimea; but would rich, refined lady
herself in frail health-leave her home
and go thousands of miles to live in
feyerish hospitals where there were only
men, and care for the sick and dying?
At last the secretary OF war wrote to
Florence Nightingale: "There is only
one person in England capable of organ
izing and directing such plan, have
this simple question to ask: Gould you
go out yourself and take charge of
everything9 You will have absolute au-
thority over all the nurses; unlimited
power to draw on the government; and
/ think l may assure you of the cooper
alton of the medical staff Your per-
sonal qualities, your knowledge, and
your authority IN administrative affairs,
all fit you for this position.
This was true. 1t was great work
to be performed. 1t needed a great
woman and one who was qualified in
every direction. In fact it needed
Florence Nightingale and she went. For
a year and half till the close of the war
she did wonderful work, reducing the
death rate in the Barrack Hospital from
so per cent. to little above one per
cent. Said the London Times CORES
pondent; "She is 'ministering angel,
without any exaggeration in these hos
pitfalls, and as her slender form glides |
quietly along each corridor, every poor
fellows face softens with gratitude at |
the sight of her" One of the soldiers
wrote home: "She would speak to one
and another, and nod and smile to many
more; but she could not doit to all, you
know, for we lay there by hundreds ;but
we could kiss her shadow as it fell, and |
lay our heads on the pillows again con-
tent" Another wrote home: 'Before |
she came there was cussin' and swearin', |
and after that it was as holy as church.
No wonder she was called the CANCEL |
of the Crimea.o Once she was prostrat-
ed with fever but recovered after a few
weeks.
Finally the war came to an end. Lon
don was preparing to give Miss Nightin-
gale royal welcome, when, 10 she took
passage on French steamer, and reached
Lea Hurst, unbeknown to any one.
There was murmur of disappointment
at first, but the people could only .honor
oil the more the woman who wished no
blare of trumpets for her humane acts
Queen Victoria sent for her to visit her
at Balmoral, and presented her with
jewel. The Sultan sent her
bracelet, and the Govern
ment, $3.50, 900, to found a school for
nurses at st. Thomas Hospital. Since
the war Miss Nightingale has never been
in strong health, but she has written
several valuable Treasure
Trove.